RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS-INFECTIONS IN MALNOURISHED CHILDREN

The prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among se verely malnourished children was studied at the University of Benin Te aching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria at a time when the infection was known to be prevalent in the community. Nasopharyngeal washings were o btained from subjects on admission and thereafter every 4 days until d ischarge. RSV was detected by ELISA technique. Of 20 well nourished ch ildren who served as controls, 11 were ELISA-positive for RSV (55%). E ight (16%) of the 51 patients who were malnourished were ELISA-positiv e, four of whom (8%) had nosocomial infection. Fever and rhinitis were the most common presenting features in the RSV-infected malnourished children. None of the children showed any clinical or radiological sig ns of lower respiratory tract infection. Malnourished children appear not to be at increased risk of RSV infection, and those who contract t he infection usually do not manifest severe disease.